How to sharpen the heel of knives with no sharpening choil?
- This topic has 8 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 02/25/2021 at 8:19 am by
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This is a regular subject of discussion on this forum every now and again. Here are a couple previous threads, I found for you, where we tried to help that forum member with your same issue. I found these searching “sharpening choil on the wicked edge”. There are other threads you’ll be able to find too, with a properly worded Google search including the key words, “on a wicked edge sharpener”
In essence you are removing the steel at that transition so you don’t have to sharpen right up against the choil or the ricasso at the knife’s hinge section.
Sharpening solution to handle a Spyderco PM style choil/plunge?
Here are a couple YouTube Videos on the same subject. They speak to how to add the choil or the sharpening Ricasso, in general. After which you should be able to clamp then sharpen the knife with the W.E.. There are a lot more videos to be found, also with a properly worded YouTube search.
Take what need from each video and forum thread and apply it to your actual situations on the knife you have this same issue with. Don’t get hung up on the specific knife or knife brand but look at the blade characteristic and the situation they’re looking to overcome.
Another method some W.E. users have done is to take the plastic handle sharpening stone to a grinder or a sanding belt and remove the plastic lip surrounding the outside of the sharpening stone’s flat mounting surface. This is a bit drastic IMO, it is permanent, (but so is adding the sharpening choil to your knife blade). It does allow you to get the edge of the sharpening stone plate tighter into the that choil area. Still that may not let you get as close as needed and the side edge of the stone may unwantedly scratch the steel in that transition area.
Both methods require you exercise care and pay attention to what you’re doing. Hope this helps you figure out a plan of attack for this common issue you will certainly see if you sharpen enough knives.
Marc
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I would take the knife apart and reclamp the blade. Maybe that will work?
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I would take the knife apart and reclamp the blade. Maybe that will work?
Doesn’t look like taking it apart will help. The plastic of the WE stone handles will still hit the blade near the finger choil.
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Apologies Marc! My auto-correct on my phone apparently prefers to spell your name with a K.
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Sean, another option maybe to use Whetstones to sharpen knives with that issue. Due to height and shape of the stone they stand up above the plastic lip on the W.E. paddle. The whetstone profile, height and shape would allow you to get in closer to that tight shape transition between the blade and the choil. I believe these will work for you without the need to permanently alter the blade or the stone plastic handle.
Here are photos of tall new whetstones:
Marc
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